ROAD CLOSED WHILE TREES REMOVED

Work is proceeding well on the taking down of two trees at New Abbey on the Castlemartin Lodge estate, writes Brian Byrne. The section of road has been closed since 9am today.

The two trees were mature, but were deemed to be a hazard. The road closure notice is in effect until 6pm, but the work looks likely to be completed before then.

Diversions to and from Newbridge are in effect via the Sunnyhill road.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

KILCULLEN-NEWBRIDGE ROAD CLOSURE SATURDAY

The R413 Kilcullen to Newbridge Road will be closed tomorrow, Saturday, 7 November, from 9am to 5pm. 

The road will be shut between the junction at Castlemartin Lodge/Cnoc na Greine and the Sunnyhill Road Junction L6081 to facilitate the emergency removal of two dead mature trees.

A diversion route will be available via the Sunnyhill Road. Road users are advised to plan their journeys, follow signs, and allow extra time for travel.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

WORK ON CHANGING CROSSING

Work is continuing today with the changing of the pedestrian crossing at CPC from a Zebra to a Signalled facility. It is made easier with the schools being closed for the mid-term break.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

CROSSING AT CPC TO BE UPGRADED NEXT WEEK

Works will commence next week to upgrade the Zebra Crossing at CPC to a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing, with push button units.  

The works will include the removal of Zebra Crossing equipment and the installation of new pedestrian crossing equipment, road lining, and all associated site works. 

Traffic and pedestrian management will be in place for the duration of the works. Kildare County Council apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

LOOKING BACK: KILDARE'S FIRST REGISTERED CAR

An historic occasion caught by the cameras, in a clipping from the Leinster Leader dated 1 October 1983, courtesy of Joe Murray. The first car registered in Kildare, IO 1, pictured under the Rathangan Road bridge on the Naas Bypass with the owner, Denis Lucey, and Liam Kenny, local historian and then a member of Kildare Co Council staff.

The car is the Silver Stream, a handcrafted luxury touring car built in Carnalway near Kilcullen between 1906 and 1909 by railway engineer Philip Townsend Somerville-Large, and which was the centrepiece for many years of Denis Lucey's collection at the Museum of Irish Transport in Killarney. In April 2007, it was sold at a Bonhams auction in London for £130,000.

The photo was taken the week before the official opening of the M7 Naas Bypass on 4 October 1983, by then Tánaiste Dick Spring. It was the Irish Republic's first section of motorway.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

TOWN BUS SERVICE PLANNED FOR NEWBRIDGE

A new Town Bus service is being planned for Newbridge by the National Transport Authority (NTA). A public consultation process will take place during October, which will include in-person public information sessions with NTA personnel.

The initiative, which is part of a national Town Bus Programme, has been welcomed by local Senator Fiona O'Loughlin, who says the nature of the town means that people living on the large edge estates can be several miles from the centre and the railway station, and need cars to get to the station.

"There is a serious lack of connectivity within the town itself," she says. "The small travel distances of just a few miles are congesting our roads and streets. It makes absolute sense to have a commuter bus to link the train station, our places of education and work and our shopping and health facilities."

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

LIGHTS AND LINING COMPLETED

More work completed on the public realm downtown. 

The new pedestrian lights have been activated, and the lining of the spaces in the car park completed.

The last includes the first accessible parking space on the other side of the bridge.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

BUS SHELTER TO BE PART OF CPC WORKS

New bus stop location.

Kildare County Council is to coordinate with the contractor and designer for the works at Cross and Passion College to deliver a bus shelter at the bus stop conditioned as part of the project, writes Brian Byrne. That information was provided to Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer at yesterday’s meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge MD, in answer to a question from her on the agenda.

Additional bus stops in Kilcullen will be evaluated for upgrade works, including bus shelters, in 2027. In answer to a further question from the councillor, bus notification poles at the church stop and Newbridge Road stop in Kilcullen for the Local Link Service are likely to be fully assessed for the delivery of required infrastructure in 2027.

Meanwhile, Cllr O’Dwyer also proposed allocating €8,000 from LPT funds to the Public Lighting Department for the installation of public lights at Mile Mill Cross, including the installation of ducting and civil works. 

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

ROAD CLOSURE AT CARNALWAY

A road closure will be in place from Carnalway Bridge, Brannockstown, back towards Carnalway Five Cross Roads, from Wednesday 9 September to Friday 11 September 2026, to facilitate road resurfacing. 

The diversion route will be signed, and local access will be provided. Road users are advised to expect some delays as a result of the works.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

BACK TO SCHOOL ROAD SAFETY PLEA

An Garda Síochána Kildare is urging road users to be careful as children return to school. Drivers are advised to slow down, stay alert, follow school wardens' directions, watch for children crossing, and give space to cyclists and pedestrians. 

Parking illegally or double parking is strictly prohibited. Parents should plan safe drop-off and collection points, avoid illegal parking, and discuss road safety with their children. 

A few extra seconds of care can significantly enhance safety.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

DEBRIS ON MOTORWAY WARNING

9.05am UPDATE: Cleared. 8.05am: A warning about debris on the M9 northbound between Kilcullen Services and the J2 to Kilcullen has been issued by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The agency says motorists should drive with caution and reduce speed when approaching the hazard.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

ANIMALS ON M9 WARNING

Image: TII.

10.47 UPDATE: Traffic cleared. 9.40am: The M9 Northbound from Kilcullen is restricted at the moment due to animals on the road. The danger area is 3 kilometres north of Kilcullen.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

M9 collision incident cleared at lunchtime

Kilcullen experienced very heavy traffic through the morning, following a collision incident that closed the M9 northbound between J2 Kilcullen and the M9/M7 intersection.

The incident affected all three lanes and was only cleared a short time ago (1.20pm).

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Concerns about proposed speed limits

Concerns that the proposed 30km/h speed limit for Kilcullen doesn't go far enough are being raised by Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, writes Brian Byrne. The new speed limits in urban and residential areas across the county are currently open to public consultation.

On the map of Kilcullen in the proposal documents, the new limit runs from Conroy Park to the north end of the bridge, leaving the rest of the road at 50km/h. Cllr O'Dwyer says she's asking for it to include from the bridge to the Logstown junction, and along the Logstown road to the end of the housing estate. "It should take in the main road by Nicholastown, on the south, too," she adds.

The councillor will be making those proposals in her own submission to the consultation, and suggests that other Kilcullen people who feel similarly should send in their own observations. "Quantity is important in these things," she told the Diary, adding that she is happy to advise anyone who needs help with a submission.

The Supplementary Special Speed Limit Byelaws for Built-Up and Urban areas 2026, as proposed, are open to public view until 28 August. They can be accessed online or at the Council’s offices in Naas. 

After public consultation, councillors will consider adopting the byelaws, with any amendments, and they will take effect upon adoption. 

The byelaws are detailed in five volumes of maps, each covering a different Municipal District. Submissions can be made online in accordance with the Department of Transportation Guidelines 2025.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

Suspicious device at Melon Hill dealt with by controlled explosions

Roadblock at Silliott Hill was subsequently extended further towards Naas. Image: Tracey O'Dwyer.

8.25pm UPDATE: The road to Naas between the Link Park in Kilcullen and the Stephenstown cross roads has just been reopened following an alert over a possible explosive threat, writes Brian Byrne. The Army EOD unit carried out two controlled explosions on an item at Brownstown, just beyond the Melon Hill Road junction and near the derelict 18th century Brownstown House. It's understood that the suspicious object was an old cannon ball.

The alert was raised earlier today by two young men who came across a suspicious device and notified the gardai.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from the Army Ordnance Corps, who deal with all such issues in the state, were on site since mid-afternoon. They assessed the situation as potentially dangerous, and the original Garda cordon was extended.

Several time-frames for the reopening of the road passed this evening before the road was reopened.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy

30km/h speed limits proposed by Council

Image: KCC.

All Kilcullen housing estates that are taken in charge by KCC, and the main street from Conroy Park to the Market Square entrance north of the bridge, will be subject to a 30km/h speed limit under proposals being considered by Kildare County Council, writes Brian Byrne. The limit would also apply on the R413 west as far as Castlemartin gates and east as far as the top entrance of the Valley Park.

The Supplementary Special Speed Limit Byelaws for Built-Up and Urban areas 2026, as proposed, are now open to public view until 28 August, as part of a consultation process. They can be accessed online or at the Council’s offices in Naas. 

After public consultation, the Elected Members will consider adopting the byelaws, possibly with amendments, and they will take effect upon adoption. 

The byelaws are detailed in five volumes of maps, each covering a different Municipal District. Submissions can be made online in accordance with the Department of Transportation Guidelines 2025.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy